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Rupp Arena
| broke_ground = June 21, 1974 | opened = November 28, 1976 | closed = | demolished = | owner = Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government | operator = The Lexington Center | surface = Cawood's Court | construction_cost = $53 million ($216 million in 2012 dollars) | architect = Ellerbe BecketLexington Center/Rupp Arena - Ellerbe Becket | general_contractor = Huber, Hunt & Nichols | former_names = | tenants = Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball (NCAA) (1976–present) Lexington Horsemen (AF2) (2003–2009) Kentucky Thoroughblades (AHL) (1996–2001) Lexington Men O' War (ECHL) (2002–2003) | seating_capacity = 23,500 (Basketball) 21,300 (Hockey) 7,550 (Arena Football) 5,000-23,500 (Concerts) }} Rupp Arena is an arena located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. Since its opening in 1976, it has been the centerpiece of Lexington Center, a convention and shopping facility owned by an arm of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, which is located next to the Lexington Hyatt and Hilton hotels. Rupp Arena also serves as home court to the University of Kentucky men's basketball program, and is named after legendary former Kentucky coach, Adolph Rupp. With an official capacity of 23,500, it is the largest arena designed specifically for basketball in the United States. In Rupp Arena, the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team regularly leads the nation in college basketball home attendance. The arena also regularly hosts concerts, conventions, and shows. History The arena's primary tenant is the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball program, but the Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team has also hosted games there in recent years, particularly an upset in early 2006 of the #1 Tennessee Lady Vols. Rupp Arena was the host of the 1985 NCAA Final Four, won in an upset by eighth-seeded Villanova. It also formerly hosted the Kentucky Thoroughblades (currently the Worcester Sharks) (capacity 10,011) and the Lexington Men O' War (capacity 7,500) minor-league hockey teams, and the Lexington Horsemen arena football team (capacity 7,550), numerous concerts (theater capacity 2,300; concert hall 10,000; arena capacity 23,500), conventions, and other events. It is named after UK coaching legend Adolph Rupp, and opened in 1976, a little more than a year before Rupp's death in late 1977. Since the 1985 Final Four, Rupp Arena has hosted a number of NCAA Tournament regional games, most recently in 2007. Rupp Arena is scheduled to host second and third round NCAA Tournament games in 2013. Rupp Arena is also home to Kentucky's high school boy's basketball Sweet Sixteen, a single elimination tournament which determines the state champion with sixteen teams representing each of Kentucky's regional high school champions. Seating arrangement The arena has an official capacity for basketball of 23,500, but has packed in well over 24,000 for many UK basketball games. This is possible because less than half of the seating (approx. 10,000) consists of chair-back seats, all of them in the lower seating bowl. The lower bowl also incorporates a student standing-room area called the "eRUPPtion Zone" behind one goal. The upper bowl is completely made up of bleacher bench seats that allow more capacity than chair-back seats. Unlike many arenas built in the following years, it has no luxury suites, and has never been renovated to add them. However, in 2001 the arena received some minor renovations including: four oversize video boards, new lower bowl seating, new locker rooms and a new court. The demand for UK basketball tickets is so overwhelming that adding suites would inevitably reduce the capacity and possibly lead to a fan backlash. Due to the success of the many great players, coaches, and teams of the University of Kentucky, Rupp Arena has the reputation as one of the most intimidating venues for opposing teams in college basketball. Milestones *The ceremonial first basket in the new facility was sunk by Adolph's young grandson Chip (Adolph III), who went on to play college basketball at Southeastern Conference (SEC) rival Vanderbilt. *Rupp staged three Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournaments between 1982 and 1993; it was also the host of the Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament in 1992 and 1993. *It hosted WWE Backlash in 2006. *The Rupp Arena attendance record was set on January 2, 2010, when 24,479 people watched #3 Kentucky play rival Louisville. The final score was a 71-62 victory by the Kentucky Wildcats. cheerleaders at Rupp Arena during a basketball game.]] *The UK men are the only basketball program in the SEC that plays home games in an off-campus facility. All of the other programs play on-campus, including the UK women, who play in the men's former home of Memorial Coliseum. However, when the women's program expects an unusually large crowd, it will shift an occasional game to Rupp; they notably upset then top-ranked Tennessee there on January 26, 2006. *Rupp is also home to the annual KHSAA State Basketball Championship, with teams from throughout the commonwealth appearing for a shot at the state title. *Rupp Arena is the home court of the Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball Team, and Kentucky Men's Basketball now boasts an overall Rupp Arena record of 486-61 (.888) since beginning play there in November of 1976. *The University of Kentucky has led the nation 24 times (which is a NCAA record) in NCAA Men's Basketball home attendance since the 1976-77 season (the 35 seasons at Rupp Arena), including 16 out of the last 17 seasons, and the last 7 seasons in a row. *On December 21, 2009, in Rupp Arena, the Kentucky Men's basketball team became the first college basketball program to win 2000 games, in an 88-44 win against the Drexel University Dragons. *Rupp Arena hosted the August 2, 2011 tapings of SmackDown and WWE Superstars, with the former set to air on August 5, 2011, and the latter having aired on August 4, 2011. NCAA Tournament games * 2013 Second and Third Rounds * 2007 First and Second Rounds * 2002 South Regional Semi-finals and Final * 1998 First and Second Rounds * 1996 Southeast Regional Semi-finals and Final * 1994 First and Second Rounds * 1992 Southeast Regional Semi-finals and Final * 1989 Southeast Regional Semi-finals and Final * 1985 NCAA Final Four * 1984 Mideast Regional Semi-finals and Final * 1980 Mideast Regional Semi-finals and Final * 1977 Mideast Regional Semi-finals and Final Attendance record progression The Kentucky Wildcats have set or broken the Rupp Arena attendance record 25 times since the arena opened in 1976. In those games, the Wildcats have won 22 times and lost 4 times. References External links *Official site Category:Arenas Category:Kentucky Wildcats basketball